Top ten must-see Edinburgh Festival Fringe shows

A record number of shows will take place at the Edinburgh Fringe 2013 but with such choice comes a dilemna when it comes to deciding which are deserving of your hard-earned ticket money.Here The Scotsman’s arts correspondent Brian Ferguson lists the hottest show tickets of this year’s event meaning you can spend less time trawling through brochures and more time enjoying the world’s biggest arts festival.

The Shawshank Redemption: Arguably the most high-profile theatre production this year, thanks to a cast including comedian Omid Djalili, Dad’s Army veteran Ian Lavender and ex-Eastenders star Paul Nicholls.

Man With A Movie Camera: Summerhall’s hugely-expanded programme features composer and film-maker Michael Nyman’s first ever solo exhibition in Scotland and a visit from the man himself.

White’s Lies: Corey Feldman, the 1980s Hollywood pin-up and star of The Goonies, Stand by Me and Gremlins has the lead role in the European premiere of the off-Broadway play as a hapless divorce lawyer.

Ciara: Playwright David Harrower’s follow-up to last year’s Fringe hit Good With People reunites him with its star, Taggart actress Blythe Duff, and the Traverse Theatre for a searing one-woman play.

Kiss Me Honey, Honey!: Gilded Balloon impresario Karen Koren has joined forces with panto stars Andy Gray and Grant Stott for a new play about two men who bond over their love for Shirley Bassey.

Airnadette: Underbelly’s latest international cabaret find has been given top Fringe billing, with “the world’s first air guitar musical”, after making a breakthrough on the Paris underground scene.

Alexei Sayle: The man dubbed the godfather of alternative comedy makes a return to the Fringe for his first full-length run for 17 years - to the intimate confines of The Stand.

I’m With The Band: The first major new drama piece to tackle the Scottish independence debate, in the form of indie-rock musical theatre at the Traverse.

The Tempest in the Firth of Forth: Veteran figure Richard Demarco is inevitably involved in another intriguing out-of-town festival experience, with Shakespeare’s classic being played out on a beach on the Hopetoun Estate, near South Queensferry.

Trash Cuisine: Belarus Free Theatre return to the Fringe with a show billed as a “capital punishment cafe”, with a script based on true conversations with executioners, human rights lawyers and inmates.